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{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}}
{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox politician
|name = Karrin Taylor Robson
|name = Karrin Taylor Robson
|image = Karrin Taylor Robson by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
|image = Karrin Taylor Robson by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
|office = Member of the [[Arizona Board of Regents]]
|caption = Robson in 2021
|appointer = [[Doug Ducey]]
⚫
|birth_name = Karrin Kunasek
|term_start = July 2017
|birth_date = 1965/1966
|term_end = July 2021
|birth_place =
|predecessor = Greg Patterson
|death_date =
|successor = Bob Herbold<br>Jessica Pacheco
⚫
|death_place =
⚫
|birth_name = Karrin Margaret Kunasek
⚫
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|57|2022|7|12}}
⚫
|relations = [[Andy Kunasek]], brother<br>[[Carl Kunasek]], father
|birth_place = [[Mesa, Arizona]], U.S.
|spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Gene A. Taylor, Jr.|end=divorced}}<ref>{{cite web |title=DFA Welcomes Desert Debutantes |url=https://frontdoorsmedia.com/style/dfa-welcomes-desert-debutantes/ |website=Front Doors Media |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref>|{{marriage |Edward J. Robson |2017|reason=<!--earliest-->}}}}
|children = 4
|death_date =
⚫
|death_place =
|education = [[Arizona State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], 1987)<br>[[Arizona State University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]], 1994)<ref name="ASU">{{cite web |last1=Oxford |first1=Matt |title=ASU alumna lets people be a part of the solution |url=https://news.asu.edu/20200219-asu-alumna-lets-people-be-part-solution |website=[[Arizona State University]] |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
⚫
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|spouse = {{marriage|Gene Taylor|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Edward Robson|2017}}
|children = 4
⚫
|relatives = [[Carl Kunasek]] (father)<br>[[Andy Kunasek]] (brother)
|education = [[Arizona State University Tempe campus|Arizona State University, Tempe]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Juris Doctor|JD]])
}}
}}
'''Karrin Margaret Taylor Robson''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|oʊ|b|s|ə|n}} {{respell|ROBE|sən}}, née '''Kunasek''', born 1964/1965)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/07/12/karrin-taylor-robson-arizona-governors-office-primary-election-2022/7500211001 |title=Republican Karrin Taylor Robson Relies on Wealth, Personal Connections in Bid for Arizona Governor's Office |date=July 12, 2022 |accessdate=July 18, 2022 |first=Stacey |last=Barchenger |work=[[The Arizona Republic]]}}</ref> is an American attorney, land use consultant and politician. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], she was a member of the [[Arizona Board of Regents]] from 2017 until 2021, being appointed to office by [[List of governors of Arizona|Governor]] [[Doug Ducey]].


Taylor Robson ran in the Republican primary in the [[2022 Arizona gubernatorial election]] but finished second to [[Donald Trump]]-backed [[Kari Lake]].
'''Karrin Taylor Robson''' is an American lawyer, land use consultant and politician. Robson is a former trustee on the [[Arizona Board of Regents]], appointed by Arizona Governor [[Doug Ducey]] in 2017 and serving until 2022.<ref name="Ducey">{{cite web |title=Governor Ducey Selects New Regent |url=https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news/2017/06/governor-ducey-selects-new-regent |website=Office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> Robson was a 2020 inductee to the [[Arizona Women's Hall of Fame]] for her work "advocating for a dynamic and diverse economy, a world class education system, and for a robust military in Arizona."<ref name="AWHOF">{{cite web |title=Karrin Taylor Robson |url=https://www.azwhf.org/karrin-taylor-robson |website=[[Arizona Women's Hall of Fame]] |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> She is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in the [[2022 Arizona gubernatorial election]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Robson was born and raised in [[Mesa, Arizona]].<ref name="AZ Big Media">{{cite web |last1=Burks |first1=Steve |title=Technology, transit and a solid vision brings Mesa’s rebirth |url=https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/commercial-real-estate/mesa-rebirth-tech-transit-vision/ |website=AZ Big Media |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> Her parents are former [[Arizona State Senate]] president [[Carl Kunasek|Carl]], a pharmacist, and Katherine Kunasek. Her brother, [[Andy Kunasek|Andy]], served as a [[Maricopa County, Arizona|Maricopa County]] supervisor from 1997 to 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Duda |first1=Jeremy |title=Former developer Karrin Taylor Robson mulling bid for 2022 guv’s race |url=https://www.azmirror.com/blog/former-developer-karrin-taylor-robson-mulling-bid-for-2022-guvs-race/ |website=Arizona Mirror |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> After graduating college, Robson was a staff assistant for President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s economic policy council, and a staff assistant for the Office of Cabinet Affairs in the administration of [[George H. W. Bush]]. Robson would leave the White House in order to pursue her studies in law.<ref>{{cite web |title='I enjoy the opportunity to actually have an impact' |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2004/02/23/focus8.html |website=Phoenix Business Journal |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
Born Karrin Margaret Kunasek, she was raised in [[Mesa, Arizona]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Confirmation of Carl J. Kunasek Hearing Before the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred First Congress, Second Session on Carl J. Kunasek to be Navajo-Hopi Relocation Commissioner, May 21, 1990, Washington, DC. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_iRYmVxVCvUC&dq=Karrin+Kathryn+Kunasek&pg=PA26 |website=[[Google Books]] | date=1990 |publisher=[[United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs]] |access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="AZ Big Media">{{cite web |last1=Burks |first1=Steve |title=Technology, transit and a solid vision brings Mesa's rebirth |url=https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/commercial-real-estate/mesa-rebirth-tech-transit-vision/ |website=AZ Big Media |date=19 June 2018 |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=DFA Welcomes Desert Debutantes |url=https://frontdoorsmedia.com/style/dfa-welcomes-desert-debutantes/ |website=Front Doors Media |date=17 June 2015 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> The Kunasek family is prominent in Arizona Republican politics.<ref name=MullBid>{{cite web |last1=Duda |first1=Jeremy |title=Former developer Karrin Taylor Robson mulling bid for 2022 guv's race |url=https://www.azmirror.com/blog/former-developer-karrin-taylor-robson-mulling-bid-for-2022-guvs-race/ |website=Arizona Mirror |date=July 15, 2019}}</ref> Her father, [[Carl Kunasek]], was president of the [[Arizona State Senate]] and a member of the [[Arizona Corporation Commission]].<ref name=MullBid/> Her mother was Kathryn Frances Kunasek (née Ryan) (1935&ndash;2020).<ref name=KFKObit>{{cite web |title=Obituary: Kathryn Frances Kunasek|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azcentral/name/kathryn-kunasek-obituary?id=2187166|via=Legacy.com|access-date=27 June 2022}}</ref> Her brother, [[Andy Kunasek|Andy]], was a member of the [[Maricopa County Board of Supervisors]] from 1997 to 2017.<ref name=MullBid/>


==Professional career==
==Education and career==
Taylor Robson earned her [[Bachelor of Arts]] in history and political science from [[Arizona State University]] (ASU) in 1988.<ref name="ASU">{{cite web |last1=Oxford |first1=Matt |title=ASU alumna lets people be a part of the solution |date=19 February 2020 |url=https://news.asu.edu/20200219-asu-alumna-lets-people-be-part-solution |publisher=[[Arizona State University]] |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> After graduating college, Taylor Robson was a staff assistant for President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s economic policy council, and a staff assistant for the Office of Cabinet Affairs in the administration of [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref name=PhxBusinessJ>{{cite web |title='I enjoy the opportunity to actually have an impact' |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2004/02/23/focus8.html |website=Phoenix Business Journal |date=February 22, 2004}}</ref> Taylor Robson left the White House in order to attend law school.<ref name=PhxBusinessJ/> She earned a [[Juris Doctor]] from ASU's [[Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law]] in 1994.<ref name="ASU"/>
Robson was executive Vice President of [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]]-based DMB Associates, a real estate developer. Robson then served as a principal with the law firm of Biskind, Hunt & Taylor, P.L.C. Robson founded Arizona Strategies, a land-use consulting company.<ref name="Ducey" /> In 2005, Robson was appointed to the Air Force’s Chief of Staff’s Civic Leader program, where she served as an unpaid advisor and liaison between Air Force leadership and the community at-large surrounding [[Luke Air Force Base]]. Due to her work as part of the Civic Leader program, Robson was awarded the position of Honorary Commander of Luke Air Force Base, from 2005 to 2007."<ref name="Fighter Country">{{cite web |title=HONORARY COMMANDER FEATURE: KARRIN KUNASEK TAYLOR |url=https://fightercountry.org/honorary-commanders/hc-alum-karrin-kunasek-taylor/ |website=Fighter Country Foundation |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> Upon the death of longtime Arizona United States Senator [[John McCain]] in 2018, Robson was mentioned as a possible appointee to serve the remainder McCain's term, which was ultimately filled by [[Martha McSally]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |title=Arizona Governor Faces a Tough Choice: A Senator Made From McCain’s Mold or Trump’s |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/26/us/politics/john-mccain-trump-replacement.html |website=[[New York Times]] |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref>


Taylor Robson was executive vice president of Scottsdale, Arizona-based DMB Associates, a real estate developer.<ref name=MullBid/><ref name=Ducey2017AZBOR/> She left DMB in early 2016.<ref name=MullBid/> Taylor Robson was also a principal with the law firm of Biskind, Hunt & Taylor, P.L.C., focusing on [[real estate law]], [[zoning]], and land use.<ref name=MullBid/> Robson founded Arizona Strategies, a land-use consulting company,<ref name=Ducey2017AZBOR/> and was a state lobbyist for DMB.<ref name=MullBid/> Taylor Robson described land use law in 2020 as "really 60% politics and 40% law."<ref name="ASU"/>
==2022 run for Arizona governor==

In 2005, Taylor Robson was appointed to the [[Air Force Chief of Staff]]'s Civic Leader program, where she served as an unpaid advisor and liaison between Air Force leadership and the civilian community surrounding [[Luke Air Force Base]].<ref name="Fighter Country">{{cite web |title=HONORARY COMMANDER FEATURE: KARRIN KUNASEK TAYLOR |url=https://fightercountry.org/honorary-commanders/hc-alum-karrin-kunasek-taylor/ |website=Fighter Country Foundation |date=5 June 2013 |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>

Upon the death of longtime Arizona United States Senator [[John McCain]] in 2018, Taylor Robson was mentioned as a possible appointee to serve the remainder of McCain's term.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |title=Arizona Governor Faces a Tough Choice: A Senator Made From McCain's Mold or Trump's|work=The New York Times |date=26 August 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/26/us/politics/john-mccain-trump-replacement.html |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> Governor [[Doug Ducey]] ultimately appointed [[Martha McSally]] to fill the vacancy.<ref>Jonathan Martin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/us/politics/martha-mcsally-senate-mccain-kyl.html Martha McSally Appointed to Arizona Senate Seat Once Held by John McCain], ''New York Times'' (December 18, 2018).</ref>

Ducey appointed Taylor Robson to the [[Arizona Board of Regents]] in June 2017<ref name=AZBOR>[https://www.azregents.edu/news-releases/board-extends-appreciation-regent-karrin-taylor-robson-her-service-board-following-her Board extends appreciation to Regent Karrin Taylor Robson for her service on the board following her resignation announcement], Arizona Board of Regents (July 19, 2021).</ref><ref name=Ducey2017AZBOR>{{cite web |title=Governor Ducey Selects New Regent |url=https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news/2017/06/governor-ducey-selects-new-regent |website=Office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> and reappointed her to a full eight-year term in 2020.<ref name=AZBOR/><ref>[https://apnews.com/article/add1b5aa5e072de87977fb6fa5d9e4bc Ducey appoints attorney, a former aide, to Board of Regents], Associated Press (March 11, 2020).</ref> She resigned from the Board in July 2021 to focus on her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.<ref name=AZBOR/>

Taylor Robson was inducted into the [[Arizona Women's Hall of Fame]] in 2020.<ref name="AWHOF">{{cite web |title=Karrin Taylor Robson |url=https://www.azwhf.org/karrin-taylor-robson |website=[[Arizona Women's Hall of Fame]] |access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>

===2022 gubernatorial campaign===
{{Main|2022 Arizona gubernatorial election}}
{{Main|2022 Arizona gubernatorial election}}
On May 17, 2021, Robson announced her candidacy for governor of Arizona in the 2022 election. Robson describes herself as a "lifelong conservative Republican" and stated her opposition to the policies of the [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Biden administration]], remarking "In just a few months, we've seen the direction [[Joe Biden]] and [[Kamala Harris]] want to take this country, and as Arizonans we need to fight back"<ref name="Republic">{{cite web |last1=Oxford |first1=Andrew |title=Another Republican jumps in: Karrin Taylor Robson announces bid for Arizona governor |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/05/17/karrin-taylor-robson-announces-run-governor-arizona/5135676001/ |website=The Arizona Republic |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> Robson's candidacy was endorsed by former Arizona governors [[Fife Symington]] and [[Jan Brewer]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Brewer, Symington join Taylor Robson campaign for Arizona governor |url=https://ktar.com/story/4680581/brewer-symington-join-taylor-robson-campaign-for-arizona-governor/ |website=[[KTAR-FM]] |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> along with former [[United States Secretary of Education]] [[William Bennett]].<ref>{{cite web |title=CONSERVATIVE AUTHOR, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION WILLIAM J. BENNETT ENDORSES KARRIN TAYLOR ROBSON |url=https://karrinforarizona.com/conservative-author-former-u-s-secretary-of-education-william-j-bennett-endorses-karrin-taylor-robson/ |website=Karrin Taylor Robson for Governor |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref>.


In 2019, Taylor Robson publicly considered a potential 2022 candidacy for governor of Arizona.<ref name=MullBid/> She formally announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination in May 2021. (Ducey, the incumbent, could not run again due to [[term limit]]s.) She described herself as a "lifelong conservative Republican" and stated her opposition to the policies of the [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Biden administration]].<ref name="Republic">{{cite web |last1=Oxford |first1=Andrew |title=Another Republican jumps in: Karrin Taylor Robson announces bid for Arizona governor |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/05/17/karrin-taylor-robson-announces-run-governor-arizona/5135676001/ |website=The Arizona Republic |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> Her candidacy was endorsed by former Arizona governors [[Fife Symington]] and [[Jan Brewer]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Brewer, Symington join Taylor Robson campaign for Arizona governor |url=https://ktar.com/story/4680581/brewer-symington-join-taylor-robson-campaign-for-arizona-governor/ |website=[[KTAR-FM]] |date=13 September 2021 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> Ducey, the outgoing governor;<ref>Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/07/ducey-arizona-governor-trump/ Ducey backs Taylor Robson over Trump candidate in Ariz. governor race], ''Washington Post'' (July 7, 2022).</ref> Arizona Senate president [[Karen Fann]]; and [[Americans for Prosperity]].<ref name=Boehm>Jessica Boehm, [https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2022/06/30/lake-robson-debate-gop-gubernatorial-primary Lake, Robson spar in debate ahead of GOP gubernatorial primary], ''Axios'' (June 30, 2022).</ref> Taylor Robson was also endorsed by former Arizona Republican congressman [[Matt Salmon]], who ran for the gubernatorial nomination but withdrew from the race in late June 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2022 |access-date=July 9, 2022 |title=Matt Salmon gives endorsement to Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona Governor |url=https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/elections/decision/matt-salmon-endorsement-to-karrin-taylor-robson-arizona-governor-june-2022/75-c2cb7770-90a0-4d40-b6fd-dc7c097f4687 |publisher=[[KPNX]]}}</ref> and by [[Mike Pence]], the former [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] under [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Escalating conflict with Trump, Mike Pence endorses Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona governor |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/07/18/mike-pence-endorses-karrin-taylor-robson-arizona-governor/10083790002/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> By contrast, Trump endorsed [[Kari Lake]], Taylor Robson's chief rival,<ref>{{cite web|last=Barchenger|first=Stacey|title=Kari Lake gets coveted endorsement from former President Trump in Arizona governor's race|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/09/28/donald-trump-endorses-kari-lake-arizona-governor/5837690001/|date=September 28, 2021|website=[[Arizona Republic]]|language=en-US}}</ref> and Trump allies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/kari-lake-is-the-tv-savvy-big-lie-loving-future-of-the-maga-movement|title=Kari Lake Is the Camera Ready, Big-Lie Loving Future of the MAGA Movement|first=Eleanor|last=Clift|website=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=November 10, 2021|access-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref> In 2021, Taylor Robson's campaign raised $3.7 million, of which about half was contributed by Taylor Robson.<ref>Stacey Barchenger, [https://archive.today/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2022/01/06/arizona-governor-karrin-taylor-robson-fundraising-doug-ducey/9119357002/ Republican Karrin Taylor Robson sets high bar in early fundraising for Arizona governor's race], ''Arizona Republic'' (January 10, 2022).</ref>
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==External links==

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*[https://karrinforarizona.com/ Karrin Taylor Robson for Governor]
During her campaign for the Republican primary nomination, Taylor Robson refused to say whether, if she had been governor, she would have certified the results of the [[2020 United States presidential election in Arizona|2020 presidential election in Arizona]], in which [[Joe Biden]] defeated [[Donald Trump]].<ref name=Cooper&Christie>{{cite news |first1=Jonathan J. |last1=Cooper |first2=Bob |last2=Christie |url=https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-arizona-donald-trump-salmon-congress-1155a13ecddc2783cdecddc1d3b61599 |title=Republicans square off in raucous Arizona governor debate |publisher=Associated Press |date=June 30, 2022}}</ref><ref name=Dale>{{cite news |last1=Dale |first1=Daniel |title=Lie as litmus test: Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake calls it 'disqualifying' for rival not to declare 2020 election 'stolen' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/01/politics/fact-check-kari-lake-stolen-election-disqualifying-karrin-taylor-robson/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=July 1, 2022}}</ref> She [[Election denial movement in the United States|questioned the legitimacy]] of the election,<ref name=Dale/> asserting that "the elections weren't fair"<ref name=Cooper&Christie/> and that "our election was absolutely not fair."<ref name=Dale/> She accused "liberal judges" of "changing the rules late in the game."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Jonathan |date=2022-07-22 |title=Trump, Pence campaigning for rivals in Arizona governor's race |url=https://dayton247now.com/news/nation-world/trump-pence-campaigning-for-rivals-in-arizona-governors-race-broader-referendum-on-republican-partys-future-growing-fued-2020-presidential-election-joe-bidens-victory |website=Dayton247now}}</ref>
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*[https://arizonastrategies.com/ Arizona Strategies]

During her campaign, Taylor Robson said that she would enforce [[Abortion in Arizona|Arizona's pre-''Roe'' abortion ban]], which would criminalize the action in most circumstances.<ref name=Boehm/>

==Personal life==
Taylor Robson lives in Phoenix's [[Biltmore Area]].<ref name=Stern>Ray Stern, [https://archive.today/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/06/30/arizona-republican-governor-candidate-debate-5-things-know/7772708001/ 5 takeaways from the Republican debate for Arizona governor], ''Arizona Republic'' (June 30, 2022).</ref> She is married to Ed Robson, a real estate developer<ref>Brahm Resnik, [https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/ducey-endorses-taylor-robson-arizonas-republican-primary-for-governor/75-933e86c8-cc7e-4421-b81e-27830de54f8e Ducey endorses Taylor Robson in Arizona's Republican primary for governor], KPNX (July 7, 2022).</ref> who is the founder and president of Robson Communities.<ref name=MullBid/> Robson has holdings in Arizona and Texas; he is the namesake of Ed Robson Arena, a hockey stadium at his alma mater Colorado College.<ref>Hugh Johnson, [https://gazette.com/sports/cc-hockey/sarah-palin-joins-ed-robson-at-eponymous-arena-to-watch-colorado-college-hockey/article_6a0097b8-5fb6-11ec-8e91-073c7a60892a.html Sarah Palin joins Ed Robson at eponymous arena to watch Colorado College hockey], ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' (December 17, 2021).</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

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==External links==
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*[https://karrinforarizona.com/ Karrin Taylor Robson for Governor]
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*[https://arizonastrategies.com/ Arizona Strategies]


{{Arizona Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Arizona Women's Hall of Fame}}
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[[Category:American Christians]]
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[[Category:Arizona lawyers]]
[[Category:Arizona lawyers]]
[[Category:George H. W. Bush administration personnel]]
[[Category:George H. W. Bush administration personnel]]
[[Category:People from Mesa, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Mesa, Arizona]]
[[Category:Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Reagan administration personnel]]
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[[Category:Women in Arizona politics]]
[[Category:Women in Arizona politics]]

Latest revision as of 06:01, 26 November 2024

Karrin Taylor Robson
Member of the Arizona Board of Regents
In office
July 2017 – July 2021
Appointed byDoug Ducey
Preceded byGreg Patterson
Succeeded byBob Herbold
Jessica Pacheco
Personal details
Born
Karrin Margaret Kunasek

1964 or 1965 (age 59–60)
Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Gene Taylor
​
(divorced)​

Edward Robson
​
(m. 2017)​
Children4
RelativesCarl Kunasek (father)
Andy Kunasek (brother)
EducationArizona State University, Tempe (BA, JD)

Karrin Margaret Taylor Robson (/ˈroʊbsən/ ROBE-sən, née Kunasek, born 1964/1965)[1] is an American attorney, land use consultant and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was a member of the Arizona Board of Regents from 2017 until 2021, being appointed to office by Governor Doug Ducey.

Taylor Robson ran in the Republican primary in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election but finished second to Donald Trump-backed Kari Lake.

Early life

[edit]

Born Karrin Margaret Kunasek, she was raised in Mesa, Arizona.[2][3][4] The Kunasek family is prominent in Arizona Republican politics.[5] Her father, Carl Kunasek, was president of the Arizona State Senate and a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission.[5] Her mother was Kathryn Frances Kunasek (née Ryan) (1935–2020).[6] Her brother, Andy, was a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2017.[5]

Education and career

[edit]

Taylor Robson earned her Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Arizona State University (ASU) in 1988.[7] After graduating college, Taylor Robson was a staff assistant for President Ronald Reagan's economic policy council, and a staff assistant for the Office of Cabinet Affairs in the administration of George H. W. Bush.[8] Taylor Robson left the White House in order to attend law school.[8] She earned a Juris Doctor from ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in 1994.[7]

Taylor Robson was executive vice president of Scottsdale, Arizona-based DMB Associates, a real estate developer.[5][9] She left DMB in early 2016.[5] Taylor Robson was also a principal with the law firm of Biskind, Hunt & Taylor, P.L.C., focusing on real estate law, zoning, and land use.[5] Robson founded Arizona Strategies, a land-use consulting company,[9] and was a state lobbyist for DMB.[5] Taylor Robson described land use law in 2020 as "really 60% politics and 40% law."[7]

In 2005, Taylor Robson was appointed to the Air Force Chief of Staff's Civic Leader program, where she served as an unpaid advisor and liaison between Air Force leadership and the civilian community surrounding Luke Air Force Base.[10]

Upon the death of longtime Arizona United States Senator John McCain in 2018, Taylor Robson was mentioned as a possible appointee to serve the remainder of McCain's term.[11] Governor Doug Ducey ultimately appointed Martha McSally to fill the vacancy.[12]

Ducey appointed Taylor Robson to the Arizona Board of Regents in June 2017[13][9] and reappointed her to a full eight-year term in 2020.[13][14] She resigned from the Board in July 2021 to focus on her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.[13]

Taylor Robson was inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame in 2020.[15]

2022 gubernatorial campaign

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Main article: 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election

In 2019, Taylor Robson publicly considered a potential 2022 candidacy for governor of Arizona.[5] She formally announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination in May 2021. (Ducey, the incumbent, could not run again due to term limits.) She described herself as a "lifelong conservative Republican" and stated her opposition to the policies of the Biden administration.[16] Her candidacy was endorsed by former Arizona governors Fife Symington and Jan Brewer,[17] Ducey, the outgoing governor;[18] Arizona Senate president Karen Fann; and Americans for Prosperity.[19] Taylor Robson was also endorsed by former Arizona Republican congressman Matt Salmon, who ran for the gubernatorial nomination but withdrew from the race in late June 2022,[20] and by Mike Pence, the former vice president under Donald Trump.[21] By contrast, Trump endorsed Kari Lake, Taylor Robson's chief rival,[22] and Trump allies.[23] In 2021, Taylor Robson's campaign raised $3.7 million, of which about half was contributed by Taylor Robson.[24]

During her campaign for the Republican primary nomination, Taylor Robson refused to say whether, if she had been governor, she would have certified the results of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump.[25][26] She questioned the legitimacy of the election,[26] asserting that "the elections weren't fair"[25] and that "our election was absolutely not fair."[26] She accused "liberal judges" of "changing the rules late in the game."[27]

During her campaign, Taylor Robson said that she would enforce Arizona's pre-Roe abortion ban, which would criminalize the action in most circumstances.[19]

Personal life

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Taylor Robson lives in Phoenix's Biltmore Area.[28] She is married to Ed Robson, a real estate developer[29] who is the founder and president of Robson Communities.[5] Robson has holdings in Arizona and Texas; he is the namesake of Ed Robson Arena, a hockey stadium at his alma mater Colorado College.[30]

References

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  1. ^ Barchenger, Stacey (July 12, 2022). "Republican Karrin Taylor Robson Relies on Wealth, Personal Connections in Bid for Arizona Governor's Office". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  2. ^ "Confirmation of Carl J. Kunasek Hearing Before the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred First Congress, Second Session on Carl J. Kunasek to be Navajo-Hopi Relocation Commissioner, May 21, 1990, Washington, DC". Google Books. United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. 1990. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  3. ^ Burks, Steve (19 June 2018). "Technology, transit and a solid vision brings Mesa's rebirth". AZ Big Media. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  4. ^ "DFA Welcomes Desert Debutantes". Front Doors Media. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Duda, Jeremy (July 15, 2019). "Former developer Karrin Taylor Robson mulling bid for 2022 guv's race". Arizona Mirror.
  6. ^ "Obituary: Kathryn Frances Kunasek". Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Legacy.com.
  7. ^ a b c Oxford, Matt (19 February 2020). "ASU alumna lets people be a part of the solution". Arizona State University. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  8. ^ a b "'I enjoy the opportunity to actually have an impact'". Phoenix Business Journal. February 22, 2004.
  9. ^ a b c "Governor Ducey Selects New Regent". Office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  10. ^ "HONORARY COMMANDER FEATURE: KARRIN KUNASEK TAYLOR". Fighter Country Foundation. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  11. ^ Martin, Jonathan (26 August 2018). "Arizona Governor Faces a Tough Choice: A Senator Made From McCain's Mold or Trump's". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  12. ^ Jonathan Martin, Martha McSally Appointed to Arizona Senate Seat Once Held by John McCain, New York Times (December 18, 2018).
  13. ^ a b c Board extends appreciation to Regent Karrin Taylor Robson for her service on the board following her resignation announcement, Arizona Board of Regents (July 19, 2021).
  14. ^ Ducey appoints attorney, a former aide, to Board of Regents, Associated Press (March 11, 2020).
  15. ^ "Karrin Taylor Robson". Arizona Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  16. ^ Oxford, Andrew. "Another Republican jumps in: Karrin Taylor Robson announces bid for Arizona governor". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Brewer, Symington join Taylor Robson campaign for Arizona governor". KTAR-FM. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  18. ^ Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Ducey backs Taylor Robson over Trump candidate in Ariz. governor race, Washington Post (July 7, 2022).
  19. ^ a b Jessica Boehm, Lake, Robson spar in debate ahead of GOP gubernatorial primary, Axios (June 30, 2022).
  20. ^ "Matt Salmon gives endorsement to Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona Governor". KPNX. June 29, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  21. ^ "Escalating conflict with Trump, Mike Pence endorses Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona governor". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  22. ^ Barchenger, Stacey (September 28, 2021). "Kari Lake gets coveted endorsement from former President Trump in Arizona governor's race". Arizona Republic.
  23. ^ Clift, Eleanor (November 10, 2021). "Kari Lake Is the Camera Ready, Big-Lie Loving Future of the MAGA Movement". The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  24. ^ Stacey Barchenger, Republican Karrin Taylor Robson sets high bar in early fundraising for Arizona governor's race, Arizona Republic (January 10, 2022).
  25. ^ a b Cooper, Jonathan J.; Christie, Bob (June 30, 2022). "Republicans square off in raucous Arizona governor debate". Associated Press.
  26. ^ a b c Dale, Daniel (July 1, 2022). "Lie as litmus test: Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake calls it 'disqualifying' for rival not to declare 2020 election 'stolen'". CNN.
  27. ^ Cooper, Jonathan (2022-07-22). "Trump, Pence campaigning for rivals in Arizona governor's race". Dayton247now.
  28. ^ Ray Stern, 5 takeaways from the Republican debate for Arizona governor, Arizona Republic (June 30, 2022).
  29. ^ Brahm Resnik, Ducey endorses Taylor Robson in Arizona's Republican primary for governor, KPNX (July 7, 2022).
  30. ^ Hugh Johnson, Sarah Palin joins Ed Robson at eponymous arena to watch Colorado College hockey, Colorado Springs Gazette (December 17, 2021).
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